China’s BMW iX3 Officially Rated At 571 Miles Of Range

Article Summary

• The official rating of 919 kilometers (571 miles) beats BMW's own estimate by 19 kilometers (nearly 12 miles).
• The long-wheelbase BMW iX3 for China adds 400 kilometers (almost 249 miles) of range in ten minutes of charging.
• The battery pack charges from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.

We recently talked about why the BMW iX3 for Brazil is rated at only 354 miles (570 kilometers) of range. It all comes down to different testing methodologies, with Brazil using one of the strictest procedures for determining an EV’s range. As a result, the electric crossover for South America’s largest country receives an even lower rating than the estimated EPA range of 434 miles (698 kilometers) for the U.S. model.

In Europe and other regions that use the WLTP test cycle, BMW claims the second-generation iX3 can travel up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) on a single charge. Now, the long-wheelbase model has been officially rated in China, and the range is even higher. In fact, the figure surpasses what the company estimated a few months ago. As a refresher, the luxury automaker said the China-specific version would travel 559 miles (900 kilometers) before needing to recharge.

However, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the stretched iX3 has enough battery juice for 571 miles (919 kilometers). Of course, that figure is based on China’s more lenient CLTC test cycle, so owners might not achieve it in real-world driving conditions.

The BMW iX3’s Real-World Range Has Already Been Tested

BMW has already demonstrated the electric SUV’s impressive efficiency during an endurance challenge. It covered more than 497 miles (800 kilometers) without recharging. It completed the Qinghai Lake loop, departing from Xining and returning to its starting point with 2% battery charge remaining. The company estimated that if the long-wheelbase iX3 had been driven until the battery was completely depleted, it could have covered up to 522 miles (840 kilometers).

During the test, the iX3 50L xDrive recorded an average energy consumption of 12.6 kWh per 62 miles (100 kilometers). For comparison, MIIT has rated the Neue Klasse SUV at a slightly higher average consumption of 13.6 kWh/100 km. In China, the stretched electric X3 features a sixth-generation battery pack with round cells and 108.7 kWh of usable energy. It’s worth noting the long-wheelbase iX3 isn’t exclusive to China. At least four other markets are getting it: India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

If BMW’s estimates are any indication, the new long-wheelbase iX5 revealed earlier today should perform even better. The company projects a CLTC range of up to 621 miles (1,000 kilometers). The battery’s capacity has yet to be disclosed. Still, the standard iX5 features the largest battery pack BMW has ever installed in an EV. It has a massive usable energy content of 141 kWh, so we expect great things from China’s iX5, too.

When the iX7 launches next year, it’s likely to feature a similarly gargantuan battery and range.

Source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) via CarNewsChina

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